The giant building was hailed at the opening ceremony as the world's foremost centre for wing-making - and as a crucial development for the future of manufacturing industry in Europe.

It will supply the wings for Airbus's A380 double-deck superjumbo, designed to carry more than 500 passengers at a time. The facility, in Broughton, will bring 1,200 additional jobs and incalculable spin-offs for suppliers across a wide area of Wales and England.

Public funding for the factory, in the form of a &#xA3;19m grants package, came from the National Assembly for Wales.

The Prime Minister was introduced to apprentices and shown around the factory, which already has the machinery needed to build wings with the precision required for aviation.

Mr Blair described the factory as an "extraordinary undertaking".

He said, "It is one of the most fantastic facilities I have seen in any part of the world and you should be really proud."

About three years ago the Government thought very hard about whether to give funding to the project, he said. "It was a very tough decision. It's a lot of money but now I have seen the facility here today I am absolutely delighted we took the decision."

Airbus is a consortium of aerospace industries in various European countries.

Mr Blair said the investment represented a massive collaborative effort in Europe.

"I am especially proud of the way the British and French companies have managed to work together on this issue," he said. "We don't always work together absolutely perfectly but on this we have."

"What this venture represents is of absolute fundamental importance, not just for the future of aviation but also for the future of European industry."